I am pleased to announce the selection of Dr. Enrique Morales-Díaz as SUNY Oneonta's next provost and vice president for academic affairs. Dr. Morales-Díaz's appointment will begin on March 13, 2023; however, he will be on campus several times between January and March for various onboarding meetings.
As provost and vice president for academic affairs, Dr. Morales-Díaz will serve as the chief academic officer and member of the President's Cabinet and Executive Staff. He will provide inclusive leadership and strategic direction for the Division of Academic Affairs and promote cross-divisional collaboration to broaden and build opportunities for student success and scholarly achievements. In addition, Dr. Morales-Díaz will partner with faculty and staff across campus on initiatives surrounding academic program development, co-curricular programs, enrollment and retention, and access and inclusion.
Dr. Morales-Díaz joins us from Westfield State University in Massachusetts, where he is currently the assistant provost. At Westfield, he previously served as chair of the Department of Language & Culture Studies, acting chair of the Department of Ethnic & Gender Studies, interim dean of faculty, and acting associate dean of education. A tenured full professor, Dr. Morales-Díaz played critical roles in Westfield's development of a Spanish major and the Ethnic & Gender Studies program – the first of its kind in the Northeast. Prior to arriving at Westfield in 2008, Dr. Morales-Díaz began his career in Oneonta in 2000 as a teaching fellow and faculty member at Hartwick College. During that time, he also taught courses in the Africana and Latinx Studies and Women's & Gender Studies programs here at SUNY Oneonta.
Dr. Morales-Díaz holds a Ph.D. in Hispanic Studies from the University at Albany, where he also earned an M.A. in Latin American & Caribbean Studies and an M.A. in Hispanic Studies. He earned his B.A. in Spanish and Latin American Studies at SUNY Brockport and is finishing a doctoral thesis in Higher Education Administration from Northeastern University. His research focuses on how Latinx institutional agents employ their cultural wealth at Hispanic-serving community colleges in New England.
I extend my appreciation to the search committee and search chair, Dr. Bernadette Tiapo, for conducting a thorough, inclusive, and well-structured search. I would also like to thank Dr. Eileen Morgan-Zayacheck for her interim leadership within the Division of Academic Affairs. Her efforts and dedication allowed us to not miss a beat in regular divisional operations and maintain progress on updates to the general education program, our Middle States self-study, and other student and faculty success initiatives. After Dr. Morales-Díaz begins in March, Dr. Morgan-Zayachek will continue to serve as an academic leader in the role of Associate Provost.
I look forward to working with Dr. Morales-Díaz, and I know he is eager to collaborate with everyone, build upon our excellent foundation of academic programs, and enhance the student experience inside and outside the classroom. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Morales-Díaz to the Red Dragon family.
Sincerely,
